ABSTRACT
A sensor in the broadest sense is an object or device that detects events or changes in its environment and provides a corresponding output. Sensors are composed of three main elements: the recognition component, transducer component, and electronic system. Optical biosensor technologies provide various noninvasive spectrophotometric means of assessing physiological and nutritional status. A better understanding and the utility of dietary intake in populations exposed extreme conditions, or subject to unusual dietary restrictions, may in turn lead to new techniques and technologies that prove practical for use by the general nutrition community. The developments of dietary intake sensors for the special populations can create opportunities for broader scientific applications. When strict dietary control is required, food records are typically analyzed using dietary software linked to standardized and custom-built databases. The stable isotope C may be useful in developing alternative ways for the evaluation of dietary intake, absorbed food composition, and can provide a valuable alternative to traditional methods.
